


the chef's apprentice

by raccooninvestigator



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: A Support Spoilers, Drabble, Friendship, Gen, Siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-04
Updated: 2019-10-04
Packaged: 2020-11-23 03:57:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20885747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raccooninvestigator/pseuds/raccooninvestigator
Summary: There had once been a girl made of pure light, who Dedue loved more than the world itself. Flayn has her eyes, and he constantly is reminded of her.(A-support re-write for Deduetober).





	the chef's apprentice

Flayn was a pure light, he had long since decided. Maybe it was her childlike naivety, or her infectious laugh. Perhaps her delicate smile? Certainly her bright green eyes, so full of wonder, so like eyes he would have forgotten in time without her…

It was the absence of all these traits that made it clear that something was wrong. Despite being - twenty? Older? Flayn did not look a day older in the five years since he’d left Garreg Mach - in this moment she had all the poise of a two year old who had dropped their ice cream. Were those tears welling in her eyes?

He was certain she noticed him walking into the dining hall, for no sooner than he crossed the threshold did she duck from under the counter and make a beeline for the nearest exit. But her nimbleness was out done by the sheer length of ground his long limbs could cover, and he was quick to cut her off.

“Er... Hello there, Dedue…” she mumbled, making eye contact with his shoes. One of her hands shot to her hair, fiddling around her ear. It was a nervous habit he’d noticed from her early on, taking extra care to ensure her tight ringlets covered them. The other curled uncomfortably over her breast, as if the tiny fist could protect all the hurt inside her. “I just want to say that I am really, terribly sorry,” she finally pushed out, exhaling the words as if they were dangerous.

Dedue held back a smile, keeping his face neutral His arms itched to cross, but he knew the body language would only intimidate the shy girl. “For what?” he asked with a level voice, searching for eye contact, but only finding the top of Flayn’s forehead.

“I, um... I tried to cook. On my own.” She was the girl with her fist buried deep in the cookie jar. Caught in the act, full of undeniable guilt. She looked up at him at last, cheeks pink, frustrated tears on her face. “It was an absolute disaster! Adding that seasoning... Adding all that seasoning.” Her eyes glazed over, remembering, before screwing them shut in a face of utter contempt. “Ugh, what a mistake.”

At first, he didn’t reply. He simply watched silently, as wiped the tears from her cheeks, and remembered another girl, silver haired not green, crying in front of him. He did what he’d always done for her: he reached out his arms. Flayn immediately folded into his hug. He squeezed her tightly - she only came up to his abdomen - and resisted the urge to stroke her hair. She never let anyone touch it, she was too proud of the look. Instead, he took a hand to nudge her face up, making eye contact at again.

“Mistakes happen.” His voice was tender and she looked at him with shock.

“But Chef— that is, Dedue! I defied your instructions! Quite blatantly, I might add.” So quick to assign blame to herself! Defiance in her voice; not defying him, but defying the idea that she could be forgiven. Her words trembled. “I tried to cook before I had gained mastery over the tools. I have been a terrible student…” She buried her face back in his stomach, shaking a little as she tried to hold back tears again.

They stood like that for a moment, silent, before she spoke again, words muffled by the cotton of his shirt.

“Are you going to stop teaching me now?”

Dedue sighed, pulling away. He crouched down, coming just a little closer to eye level. “Is that what you want?” he asked, voice barely more than a whisper.

“Not in the slightest,” she mumbled. “I desperately want to learn from you.”

It was the honest truth. She could see it in her eyes, the desperate need to keep learning this, to do it with him beside her. His stoic facade cracked into a small smile.

“As you were, then.” Dedue straightened, joints cracking from being down so low. Flayn’s eyes widened, thin lips forming a soft o. As if he wouldn’t have forgiven her gentle pouts, her childlike tantrums.

“You…” she began, sounding utterly confused. “I... Truly?!” He couldn’t stop himself, he laughed. She really did remind him of that girl.

“You have not disappointed me. The food itself tasted awful, of course. But there was more to it than that. I could feel the thought you put into it. The wish to please others. To be faithful to what you’ve learned.”

Flayn’s face moved from confusion to shock. “You... you actually ate the food I made?” He remembered when they first began their lessons, how she had confided in him that even her own brother refused to eat the things she had cooked. He wondered how long it had been since someone had willingly eaten something she had made.

“I did. The ingredients were chopped to perfection. You also seem to have learned how to handle fish without my instruction.” His smile broke into a grin. If there was anything she would have figured out on her own, it was fish. Her face mirrored him, a smile equally large. She really was an overgrown child, her mood turning quickly with the praise.

“I learned by watching you!” she responded proudly. Flayn clasped her hands above her heart, looking like a saint in reverent prayer. For a moment, Dedue forgot himself, placing a massive hand on her head, thumb gently stroking through her soft green hair. To his surprise, she leaned in to the affectionate touch.

“You have talent. One day you will surpass me.” He was honest. Flayn’s mistakes were no different than any other child. She was devoted. He’d watched the way she applied herself to her training under the Professor. He knew, firmly, that she’d apply the same devotion to her time in the kitchen.

“I was certain you would be angry with me,” Flayn confessed, nuzzling into his hand so that he cradled the side of her face. Her eyes closed, as she let out a sigh of relief. The moment didn’t last long. She pulled away suddenly, another of those sharp mood changes, her eyes determined.

“It is decided, then! Someday, you will exclaim that something I have made is delicious. I do not quite know how many years it will take, but I am willing to rise to the challenge. Please, help me get there!” The passion was palpable, as though the idea of bringing joy to a friend was the only thing that mattered in life. Dedue nodded, accepting the pledge.

“I will. However long it takes, I look forward to it.” He reached out a hand, and they shook on it. “Now, your next lesson will consist of the selection and seasoning of ingredients.”

“Of course, Chef— er, Dedue, rather.” He shrugged.

“Call me whatever you want.”

Flayn’s grin grew as close to wicked as her kindness would ever allow. “Oh! This is exciting! Let me see... Chef Dedue! Master Chef Doodah? Ooh, Supreme Chef Deddie-pie!” Dedue groaned, each one worse than the last. He’d taken the bait, fallen for her quickness once again.

“I suppose I’ve already committed…” he grumbled as she tugged on his hand, leading him out toward the fishing pond. He stumbled a little as the girl who reminded him so much of his little sister stumbled out into the sunlight, turning around and calling out too loudly.

“Oh, I know! Chef Deddles!”

**Author's Note:**

> deduetober "favorite support" // fictober "bait"
> 
> Dialouge is lifted from the game, but I did choose to go different directions with some inflections.
> 
> @raccoon_PI


End file.
